Nat Love

April 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-Compelling, sometimes controversial, the lives of these high-profile figures have been wellsprings for speculation and rumor. Here, extensive and thoroughly documented research dispels the myths. Each of the 10- to 12-page chronologically arranged chapters contains a few smaller, boldly captioned sections, such as In Search of a Wife and Deceived Again in the Courtin and Marriage chapter of "Davy Crockett". Though the volumes have several authors, a fluid, straightforward writing style is a series mainstay that makes the figures and the era come alive. The sepia-toned illustrations, most of which are period photographs, corroborate the texts effectively. This is top-notch nonfiction.

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2010
Grades 6-9 All old cowpokes are guilty of spinning their lives into tall tales, and Nat Love was no exception, even writing an autobiography, which makes Blooms job a bit difficult. Regardless, this entry in the Legends of the Wild West series does a fine job chronicling his exploits as a black cowboy and beyond. Beginning with his early life as a slave in 1850s Tennessee and his eventual emancipation, the narrative follows Love on his journey west, describing his day-to-day responsibilities as a cowboy and tying in other accounts of the African American experience pioneering the west. Bloom sees Loves adventurous life through to the end, telling of his decision to leave cowboy life behind to work as a Pullman porter and provide for his family. Weaving historical context throughout in related sidebars and lengthy captions, the book features black-and-white and color photos, paintings, and other illustrations. A list of further reading aimed at students is included, along with a time line, bibliography, and glossary.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)